Public Safety
Man Convicted Of Killing One, Injuring Another In Tour De Palm Springs Crash
(CNS) – An unlicensed driver who killed a Tour de Palm Springs bicyclist and severely injured another when he lost control of his car and crashed while high on drugs in Indio Hills was convicted Monday of second- degree murder and other charges.
A Riverside jury deliberated nearly three days before finding Ronnie Ramon Huerta Jr., 26, of Desert Hot Springs guilty of the murder count, as well as driving under the influence of drugs resulting in great bodily injury, reckless driving and driving on a suspended license.
The panel notified Riverside County Superior Court Judge Steven Counelis Monday morning that a unanimous verdict had been reached, resulting in Huerta being convicted on all counts.
The judge remanded the defendant into custody at the Robert Presley Jail — he had been free on a $250,000 bond — and scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 30 at the Riverside Hall of Justice. Huerta is facing a minimum sentence of 15 years to life in state prison.
The prosecution and defense delivered closing statements in the nearly two-week trial on Wednesday, and the jury went behind closed doors that afternoon, ending last week without a verdict. Jurors were in deliberations only a short time Monday before announcing they had reached a decision.
According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney’s Office, the defendant was a repeat traffic offender, racking up seven citations over a two-year span for speeding, failing to obey traffic signals and signs, making unsafe lane changes and driving while distracted due to use of a cellular telephone.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles in 2017 suspended his driving privileges because he had accumulated so many points on his record that he was deemed a “negligent operator” and unsafe to be on the road.
Shortly after 9 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2018, Huerta left his family’s residence in his 2006 Ford 500 sedan, lit up a marijuana bong and headed for his girlfriend’s house in Indio.
The annual Tour de Palm Springs was underway at the time, with bicyclists from the U.S. and abroad participating in the 50-mile ride through the Coachella Valley.
According to the brief, multiple law enforcement agencies in the region were staffing road blocks, and the event was heavily advertised in area media, notifying the public that riders would be traversing a number of corridors, requiring motorists to take precautions.
“The defendant traveled between 90 and 100 mph on Dillon Road, passing numerous bicyclists for more than 15 miles,” the brief stated. “Approximately 9:20 a.m., the defendant approached 30th Avenue and came upon a vehicle traveling at a slow speed, using caution amongst the racers. (Huerta) impatiently attempted to pass the slow-moving truck. As he sped around it, his tires hit the dirt shoulder on the opposite side of the roadway.”
Court papers said Huerta lost control, and his car plowed into 49-year- old Mark Kristofferson of Lake Stevens, Washington, as well as then-48-year- old Alyson Lee Akers of Huntington Beach. After striking the victims, the sedan hit a berm and overturned.
Huerta extricated himself and tried to run into the desert to hide the marijuana he’d been smoking, but witnesses prevented him from going anywhere and called 911.
Paramedics reached the location a short time later and pronounced Kristofferson dead at the scene. Akers was airlifted to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs for treatment of significant head trauma.
“Witnesses were contacted at the scene of the collision,” court papers said. “More than a dozen bicyclists came forward with terrifying accounts of their near-misses with the defendant.”
Huerta suffered minor injuries in the rollover crash and was treated and released from the hospital the next day.
He had no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.
Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.
By: Ceci Partridge
May 15, 2023
Latest Instagram Posts
A new Sand Cat kitten is receiving its first in-hospital wellness exam. Our Maria Noble Valdez was able to go into the hospital and get a unique behind-the-scenes look at why this is so important. Be sure to tune in at 5 and 6 pm tonight or visit nbcpalmsprings.com to learn more. #thelivingdesert #wildlifeconservation #sandcat #coachellavalley #palmdesert
Social Time with Thalia and Jerry. Does Sept. 1st make you think of fall, or not quite yet?
A judge has officially dropped a second degree murder charge against former Silvercrest CEO William Frank Rodriguez due to insufficient evidence. Rodriguez now faces a felony hit and run charge and driving under a suspended license. Rodriguez is accused of killing 60-year old Cathedral City resident Christina Barrington in a hit and run crash back in October of 2024. Tune in to our evening newscasts as our @newsbyalondra shares details on the preliminary hearing in this case.
It’s been one month since a car crashed into the Burger Box restaurant in Indio. Owner Anthony Ruiz says a lot has been happening behind the scenes since then. With some new, big developments over the past week, Ruiz spoke with NBC Palm Springs’s @maria_nvtv to discuss rebuilding, new details about the investigation taking place, and how the owners are feeling now. Watch the full on update on NBC Palm Springs at 5 & 6, and visit nbcpalmsprings.com to hear where things stand, what’s next, and how the Burger Box family is reflecting on this incident as they navigate their new reality. #BurgerBox #update #indio #localbusiness #rebuilding
Social time with Thalia and Jerry and Hayden
Who makes the NBC Top 3, winner will be announced Sunday night on NBC Palm Springs, with the player who makes the number one spot winning a $250 prize from @hondaofthedesert! Comment below if it will be 1) Damian Durinzi’s Catch in Traffic, 2) Jaylen Turner Finding the End Zone with Pressure, 3) Aiden Pope’s 95 Yard Punt Return, 4) Colton LaCrone’s 40 Yard Rushing TD, or 5) Adam Tremper’s 30 Yard Rushing TD #fypage #fridaynightlights #top3 #hondaofthedesert
FIREFIGHTERS FACE A “FIRENADO” IN IDAHO Talk about a terrifying sight. While battling the Cave Fire near Kuna, Idaho, firefighters encountered a massive fire whirl — commonly called a “firenado.” The dramatic footage shows the powerful column of swirling fire as crews worked to battle the wildfire. Watch the video at NBCPalmSprings.com. #Firenado #Wildfire #Idaho #Firefighters #FireWeather #CaveFire #NBCPalmSprings
Are Coachella Valley roads designed more for cars than people? With 65 pedestrian deaths reported across the Valley’s nine cities in roughly five years, The Roggin Report takes a closer look at pedestrian safety, dark-sky rules, road design and who should be responsible for keeping people safe. Drivers? Cities? Or pedestrians themselves? Watch the full discussion on The Roggin Report at NBCPalmSprings.com/therogginreport
Erosion, rising tides and unstable bluffs are reshaping San Clemente’s iconic coastline — and officials are testing new ways to protect the beach, rail line and nearby infrastructure. The city is using a combination of sand, rock, plants, reinforcement and new walls to fight the impacts. The Orange County Transportation Authority has also built a catchment wall to help keep landslide debris off the coastal rail tracks. And there’s a Coachella Valley connection: San Clemente City Manager Andy Hall previously served as Cathedral City’s city manager. With sea levels rising and extreme tidal events putting more pressure on California’s coast, officials say the work in San Clemente could help other coastal communities prepare for what’s ahead. Read the full story at NBCPalmSprings.com. #SanClemente #CaliforniaCoast #CoastalErosion #CathedralCity #CoachellaValley NBCPalmSprings
80s pop icon Taylor Dayne is coming to the Coachella Valley, and you could be there! Taylor Dayne sits down with our entertainment contributor TOD Macofsky for a conversation about her legendary career, classic hits, Palm Springs, her upcoming Las Vegas residency and what fans can expect when she takes the stage at Spotlight 29. Taylor Dayne performs Friday, September 4 at 8 p.m. at Spotlight 29. Want to WIN tickets? Enter now at: nbcpalmsprings.com/promotions Watch the full interview with Taylor Dayne on Desert Entertainment with TOD at NBCPalmSprings.com. #TaylorDayne #Spotlight29 #CoachellaValley #PalmSprings #80sMusic ConcertGiveaway TicketGiveaway DesertEntertainment